We need more revenue, not more help for corporations

Why have we added $5 trillion to our debt in just over five years? Spending is not the problem; it's lack of revenues.

Revenues have been 3 to 4 percent below historical averages as they relate to GDP for the past five years. Revenues fell by 9.5 percent in 2009. All the while we still were involved in two wars, and continued with the Bush-era tax cuts in spite of the continuing revenue shortfall.

Corporate tax revenues are at historic lows while profits are at all-time highs. We need to close the loopholes that allow the Verizons to reap profits, pay no taxes and get a check back from Uncle Sam.

Let's stop subsidizing cheap labor costs for companies like Walmart. They pay below-poverty level wages and taxpayers fund assistance programs that make up for low wage rates. We need a program or policy whereby we are able to recapture these costs from the companies being subsidized.

Currently, the GOP is playing the "starve the beast card." They spent and spent us into this hole; now they are screaming we have to stop the spending.

Long-term debt is directly tied to health-care costs. The United States spends 6 percent more each year as a percentage of GDP than any other industrialized nation. That amounts to $1.3 trillion. Why don't we begin to change our system to model those that are more efficient and cover more people? We could begin by allowing younger folks to buy into Medicare.

Thomas Tescher

Pendleton

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We need more revenue, not more help for corporations

Why have we added $5 trillion to our debt in just over five years? Spending is not the problem; it's lack of revenues.